DR. Infrared Heater DR-238 Review — Quiet, Instant Warmth for Garages and Covered Patios

Some heaters try to warm the whole room. This one is more like a comfort spotlight.

Owners keep describing the experience the same way: when you’re in its path, it feels like sitting in winter sun — warm on your skin, calm, and oddly relaxing. No fan noise, no “hair dryer” blast, and none of that dry, windy feel that makes you want to turn a typical space heater off after ten minutes.

That’s the core reason people buy it. And it’s also why expectations can go sideways when someone mounts it high on an open patio and hopes it will magically heat the outdoors.

The quick verdict

If your goal is to make a garage gym, workbench, covered porch, screened patio, or greenhouse corner more comfortable, customers are generally very happy. It’s especially popular with people who want warmth while they sit, work, or watch TV — without adding noise to the space.

If you want wide “patio blanket” heat in a windy, open-air setup, that’s where complaints show up. Many owners say you’ll feel it best close and directly under it, and wind can make the warmth disappear fast.

What the heat feels like in real life

People who love it don’t just say “it’s warm.” They talk about the type of warmth.

It’s the difference between warmed air and warmed you. Customers describe sitting in front of it like being near a campfire — comfortable enough that you stop thinking about the cold and get back to whatever you were doing.

That’s why it shows up in so many “targeted comfort” setups:

• hanging over a garage seating spot for game night
• aimed at a treadmill or workout rack
• pointed at a workbench where your hands get cold first
• placed to protect plants during light freezes
• used in pet spaces where animals curl up under the radiant zone

Why some people say it’s amazing — and others say it’s weak

A lot of the mixed feedback is really about expectations.

Happy owners treat it like a zone heater: mount it where the people are, aim it correctly, and use it to make one area feel good.

Disappointed owners often expected it to heat air like a big propane unit. In open spaces, especially with wind, people mention you have to be “right on top of it” to feel much. Some end up buying a second unit, changing the mounting position, or returning it and going back to propane.

A useful pattern in reviews: covered / semi-enclosed spaces do well. Open patios are a gamble.

Garage and workshop use is where it shines

Garages are one of the most common “success stories.”

Owners talk about watching football in the garage comfortably, getting through winter workouts without freezing, or finally making a shop feel usable. Some say one unit is enough for a typical work zone. Others — especially with larger garages — buy two so the warmth feels more even across the space.

It’s not magic whole-garage heat on demand, but it’s a very practical “make this area comfortable” solution.

The remote and timer: small features that people actually use

A lot of heaters come with extras nobody touches. Here, the remote gets real use.

People like turning it on from the couch, the bed, or even from inside when it’s cold outside. The timer also gets praised for peace of mind — especially for garage hangs and bedtime use — because it helps avoid the “wait, did I leave that running?” moment.

There are a couple of recurring annoyances: some owners say the remote feels cheap or can be finicky, and a few wish the timer schedule fit their routine better.

Installation is usually easy — bracket quality is the main gripe

Most reviewers describe mounting as straightforward and quick, and plenty of people install it without drama.

The complaint that shows up again and again is the bracket hardware. Some owners say it feels flimsy, can sag, or doesn’t lock the angle as confidently as they’d like. A few people also wish the instructions were clearer and came with a template to make spacing easier.

It’s not a dealbreaker for most, but it’s the one “yeah, but…” point that repeats.

Durability and customer service: mostly strong, not perfect

There are lots of long-term owners — people who’ve used it for years, left it mounted through seasons, and even moved houses with it.

But reliability isn’t flawless. Some reviews mention heating elements failing, sometimes sooner than expected. The good news is that customer service is frequently described as responsive, with replacement parts shipped quickly after troubleshooting.

So the story isn’t “nothing ever breaks.” It’s more “when something breaks, they often handle it well.”

Who it’s best for

This is a great match if you want:

• quiet, fan-free warmth for a garage, porch, or sheltered patio
• a heater that makes one seating or work area feel genuinely comfortable
• simple controls you can use without thinking

You may want to skip it if:

• your space is open, windy, and you want wide heat coverage
• you expect it to raise the whole outdoor air temperature
• you need long reach without adding multiple units